California Crunch Time: Full Assembly and Senate to Vote on Critical Environmental Bills This Week

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Traci Sheehan
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

This Friday is the deadline for all bills that were introduced this legislative session to pass from their house of origin and proceed to their second house.

Several of the bills that will be debated on the floor of the Senate and Assembly this week could significantly improve the quality of life for Californians, improve our economy and protect our state's natural resources. Here are some highlights:

SB 1165 (Kuehl) - Strengthening CEQA
Ensures greater transparency in the creation of draft Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and requires EIRs older than five years to be reviewed again for new impacts before they can be used to approve a project.

AB 2046 (Jones)-Water Supply Assessments: Groundwater
Prohibits water suppliers from using contaminated groundwater in water supply assessments for new development until that water is treated to current health and drinking water standards.

AB 2153 (Krekorian/Hancock) - Water Efficiency and Security Act
Ensures that California can meet water needs, adapt to climate change, and accommodate growth by requiring developments to incorporate water efficiencies and requiring that all impacts on water demands for new development are fully mitigated through water efficiency and development of other local water supplies.

AB 2175 (Laird/Feuer) - Water Conservation
Requires a twenty percent reduction in urban per capita water use by 2020. Requires the Department to set a numeric target for agricultural water efficiency, not less than 500,000 acre feet by 2020. Requires agricultural water suppliers to identify their cost-effective water conservation potential and adopt five and ten year water savings targets.

AB 1920 (Huffman) -Net Surplus Solar Compensation Act Of 2007
Allows owners of small solar and small-wind energy systems to receive wholesale rate compensation from their electric utility for any surplus electricity generated at their home or business on an annual basis.

AB 2522 (Arambula) - San Joaquin Unified Air Pollution Control District
Authorizes the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District to increase the registration fee for vehicles registered in the district by up to $30 to fund programs to help meet state and federal ambient air quality standards.